John Gurdon

Who was John Gurdon?

John Gurdon was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1660. He supported the parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.

Gurdon was the son of a country gentleman, Brampton Gurdon, with estates at Letton Norfolk and Assington, Suffolk. He was elected to the Short Parliament and Long Parliament in 1640 as Member for Ipswich, He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the Civil War and in the internal dissension between the parliamentarians he supported the Army party. He remained in the House of Commons after Pride's Purge, but when named one of the Commissioners for the trial of the King he refused to attend. Nevertheless, he was chosen a member of the council of State in 1650, 1651 and 1652. After the expulsion of the Long Parliament, he sat for Suffolk in the First Protectorate Parliament and for Sudbury in the Convention Parliament of 1660. He was not re-elected after the Restoration.

Gurdon married Anne Parker, daughter of Sir Calthorpe Parker of Erwarton.